Apprehending the paramount importance of this work, we would impress upon the officers of this Association, what they doubtless feel, the importance of raising their chartered institutions and normal schools to the very highest possible grade. Bricks and mortar are necessary, good buildings are noble, but the first demand is for good teaching, for the very best instruction which Northern culture can secure. A few extra hundreds paid to a competent principal may be of more real use than many thousands paid for a building. Our consecrated wealth will provide the buildings. That we do not fear for; but it needs great and rare executive wisdom to see that these buildings shall be put to their best use for the best instruction. Now is the molding time for the colored people, and they need to be molded aright. Good education in barracks is better than poor education in a palace. It has been the boast of our constituency that they have known how to educate. They have supported the best colleges in the North. They are now supporting the best schools in the South. We are glad that, apprehending these duties, the Association has just appointed a competent Superintendent of Education, whose special business it will be to see to it that the standard of education shall be raised to the highest possible grade. We would especially recommend that all our institutions be carefully examined, that we call nothing college or university whose course of instruction falls below the grade which belongs to the name, and that, if it be necessary in any case, inferior teachers be weeded out and their places supplied by such as are competent and earnest. This we urge, while knowing that our institutions, as a rule, are models in all the South, because we would not have the Association satisfied with that to which we have already attained, and because we believe that our schools can and should be made so superior to other institutions that they shall attract white pupils as well as black, or break down the walls of caste.
We see with satisfaction the progress made in Howard and Talladega in theological education, which has been followed by the organization of numerous prosperous churches. We would urge that, as soon as possible, Fisk and Straight universities be supplied with similar active departments of theological instruction.
Industrial departments have been made very useful in Hampton and Tougaloo. These institutions are models in these as in other respects. The explanation rests in part in the great enthusiasm or ability of the gentlemen whom we are so fortunate as to have in charge of those institutions, and who have a special gift in developing these departments, and in part in the fortunate locality in which these institutes are placed. While we would be glad to have similar instruction given in Fisk, Atlanta, and elsewhere, we recognize the great difficulty of doing similar work in cities. Domestic labor should be encouraged, to relieve the expense of board; but experiments in establishing schools of carpentry, blacksmithing, nursing, etc., while excellent, need to be made with the greatest care, and under the supervision of such teachers as possess the requisite enthusiasm and faith.
We would especially urge, in this connection, on those who manage our institutions, that they impress on the pupils the virtues of thrift and self-support. The students who have come to us are no longer ex-slaves. They have all been reared in freedom. They should be required to pay a reasonable amount for tuition. This should be imposed as an educating influence. They should be made to understand that when education is given it represents a money value as well as does the food that goes into the stomach. More and more should they be required to pay their tuition, if it be but a dollar a month, that they may understand its value. The aggregate of this will be of considerable help, as it will elevate the educational notions of the people.
We are glad to see that our chartered institutions are making progress toward independence of the Association. For this they should work by the increase of their endowments for instruction. We express our great thanks to the generous friends who have so nobly given for these purposes, and especially to the wise and generous benevolence of Mrs. Stone, which has made this a marked year in the history of our institutions. May the Lord reward her, and may her example stir up many more.
Our work would not be complete without a more formal and a most cordial recognition of the thanks we owe to the self-denying teachers of our institutions. They are men and women of most admirable culture; they have made the greatest sacrifices; they have entered with the warmest enthusiasm into their work. We have been greatly pleased with the professional enthusiasm of those at the head of some of our excellent normal schools, to whom no words of praise can be extravagant. The progress in nearly all our institutions has been such as to merit our heartiest appreciation. We commend this, our great work, to the generous hearts of our Christian constituency.
G. F. Wright, Chairman.
THE HIGHER EDUCATION OF THE NEGRO.
BY PRES. E. M. CRAVATH, FISK UNIVERSITY.